Gillette/gilet/gilet frame make

[Cycleops]

You are very lucky having two! Gillotts are much sought after. As for restoring them what do you think they need? How is the paint? Tubs are still widely available together with the glue, although 27" might be a bit more problematic. A quick search on Chain Reaction Cycles site reveals they have one at £65! Likely things to wear are the headset, rims ( from brake pads) bottom bracket, pedals, chainrings, plus the spokes might need tightening and re-truing. Much of the spares can be had on eBay. Your LBS should be able to help with most of the repairs. Would be nice to see some pics, but you will need to put a few more posts up before you can upload a file.

 

[biggs682]

There was a white Gillot in an easy track style in the window at Allins in Croydon that was so beautiful in its simplicity,the only embellishment was the name in dark brown I watched it from outside and one day it was gone. I am not sure that Allins is still there even but I imagined my self on that bike, maybe I still do. In fact I have nostalgia for that whole era

just thought i would say i have an Allin due soon dated from early 50's

 

[jay clock]

I have a mate who has a complete Gillott. He may be interested in selling, but I am not sure. Will alert him to this thread.....

 

[dennis james collier]

Yes, I think the name you are thinking of is Gillott, A S Gillott. He had a small hop in Southhampton Row W C 1. He made very fine bikes, mostly from Reynolds 531. I remember as a teenager my friend had lovely A S Gillott track bike (fixie) in pale blue which I always coveted. I should think they are much sought after now. What I wouldn't give!

Have a look at Classicrendezvous website, you will find more info there.

hi, i am dennis collier,my father jim collier worked for gillott in southampton way in camberwell, he was a master frame builder,he then moved on to don louis shop in herne hill where he made bikes until the early fifties and because of the popularity of the car the bike trade diminished and he became a postman but he did a bit of moonlighting for don on and off,herne hill race track is still there and very popular and that is where dads ashes are scattered as he spent a lot of time there in his lifetime. i had one of dads old tapered tubing bikes from gillotts that he built but it was stolen from a small storage shed on dads council estate and must be worth a fortune.

 

[Cycleops]

hi, i am dennis collier,my father jim collier worked for gillott in southampton way in camberwell, he was a master frame builder,he then moved on to don louis shop in herne hill where he made bikes until the early fifties and because of the popularity of the car the bike trade diminished and he became a postman but he did a bit of moonlighting for don on and off,herne hill race track is still there and very popular and that is where dads ashes are scattered as he spent a lot of time there in his lifetime. i had one of dads old tapered tubing bikes from gillotts that he built but it was stolen from a small storage shed on dads council estate and must be worth a fortune.

Hello Dennis, your contribution puts a very interesting personal perspective on the A.S.Gillott story. I never had one but as I mentioned earlier one of my friends when I was a teenager in north London had a Gillott SS track bike in pale blue. It was a lovely bike, simple and elegant, I always admired it. You don't see them for sale very often so I guess people hang on to them.

 

[dennis james collier]

Hello Dennis, your contribution puts a very interesting personal perspective on the A.S.Gillott story. I never had one but as I mentioned earlier one of my friends when I was a teenager in north London had a Gillott SS track bike in pale blue. It was a lovely bike, simple and elegant, I always admired it. You don't see them for sale very often so I guess people hang on to them.

hi cyclops,most weekends on the "A" roads of sussex and kent you come across hoards of cyclists young and old doing their thing,being an ex rider i give them lots of room but most modern drivers having never been on two wheels have no time for them and thats how accidents happen.london, now thats a different animal,the agression by both cyclists and motorists has to be seen to be believed,nobody seems to give a toss,i hate even driving a car there leave alone a bike the blue cycle lanes are not really safe and visitors to london who jump on the "boris bikes" take their lives in their hands.

 

[Gillottfan]

hi, i am dennis collier,my father jim collier worked for gillott in southampton way in camberwell, he was a master frame builder,he then moved on to don louis shop in herne hill where he made bikes until the early fifties and because of the popularity of the car the bike trade diminished and he became a postman but he did a bit of moonlighting for don on and off,herne hill race track is still there and very popular and that is where dads ashes are scattered as he spent a lot of time there in his lifetime. i had one of dads old tapered tubing bikes from gillotts that he built but it was stolen from a small storage shed on dads council estate and must be worth a fortune.

Hello Dennis, Ive just joined this forum after seeing your posts. I have a substantial collection of Gillott bikes and frames and keep records of survivors. I've written a history of the company and I am always keen to learn more about the framebuilders there. Your father was the key framebuilder in the early days and I would love to talk to you about his role with the company. Harry Carrington told me that Jim was working for Hobbs pre war then at Woolwich Arsenal during the war. Harry arranged the frame building job at Gillotts to allow Jim to leave. Please do get in touch.

 

[Zojam]

Ron Cooper with one of my frames not long before he died.

 

[ayceejay]

You have to love threads like this.

 

[Zojam]

I've got a friend who used to do the Catford hill clime on Gillott in the 1950s and I think I even have some pictures of him on a single speed before gears were widely available

 

[Zojam]

Will see if I can dig pics out

 

[Zojam]

Catford hill climb on Gillot bike 1950s

 

[Zojam]

Catford hill climb 1950s York hill I think on Gillott fixed wheel

 

[Zojam]

Also was very good friends with Johny clarey who competed in 1968 Tour de France and also rode Gillots

 

[pubrunner]

Catford hill climb 1950s York hill I think on Gillott fixed wheel

Great pics ! . . . . . . . are we allowed to know the name of the rider ?

Did he compete in any other events ?